Gymnasium apparatus



NOW. 25, 1924"- 1,51%4? A. E. BURNETT GYMNAS IUM APPARATUS Filed Jan. 17 1924 ATTORNEYS Patented Non'. 25, 1924.

ALFRED E. BURNETT, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

GYMNASIUM APPARATUS.

Application filed January 17, 1924. Serial No. 686,846.

To all t0/0m t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED E. BUnNnTT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of N ew York, have invented a new and Improved Gymnasium Apparatus, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

lThis invention relates to improvements in gymnasium apparatus, and has particular reference to a device utilized primarily for the development of the neck muscles.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved device of simple and inexpensive construction capable of being attached to the head of a user and connected to a resistance member in such manner that the neck may be exercised by the swinging ofV the head both forwardly and backwardly and sidewise over the shoulders.

The above and other objects will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, which illustrates preferred embodiments of the inventive idea.

in the drawing- Figure 1 is a side elevation of one forni of the inventioiji showing its application;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the headgear I'orming a part of the apparatus;

Figure 3 is a top plan view showing in full and dotted lines the manner yof attaching the tensioning device to the headgear so as to enable the user to swing the head both forwardly and backwardly and sidewise over the shoulders; and

Figure i is a perspective view of a different form of attaching means to be utilized in connection with pulley weights or other similar apparatus.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawing, the headgear forming a part of the device and which is made principally of leather, is shown as comprising an annular band 5 which encircles the head and to which is secured in any preferred manner at diametrically opposite points the head straps 6 and 7 arranged transversely with respect to each other and secured at crossing points by a rivet or other fastener 8. Formed integrally with the band 5 at points adjacent the points of attachment of the strap 7 to the band 5 and forwardly thereof are the chin straps 9 and 10,

which may be secured together in various adjusted positions by means of a buckle 11. Eis is clearly shown in Figure 1, the straps i) depend'from the band 5 at an acute angie relative to the rear portion of said pand so that when the headgear is placed upon the head by a downward pull upon the straps 9 the band will assume the angular position on the head as shown in said figure with the rear portion of the band at or slightly below the promontory of the occipital bone. By thus positioning the headgear it will be apparent that any tendency 'of the band slipping 'ofi' the head, especially when moving the head forwards, is reduced to a minimum. rThe band 5 and straps 6, 7, 9 and-10 are preferably lined interiorly with layers of felt 12 or other soft material which is utilized as a protection to the user.

At each point of attachment of the straps 6 and 7 with the band 5 said band and adjacent portions of said straps have secured thereto the plates 13 each of which is provided with a projection in the form of a stud having a head 14 and shank 15. These studs are utilized in pairs, the studs adjacent the ends of the strap 6 forming one pair while those at the ends of the strap 7 form the other pair.

Referring to Figure 1 the resistance element used in connection with the device is here shown as consisting of a coil spring 1G of suitable tension, one end of which may be connected to a hook 17 secured in a wall, while the other end has connected thereto in any preferred manner the intermediate portion of a flexible attaching element 18, the ends of which are formed with loops 19 loosely engageable over either pair of studs 14 so as to permit of a free swinging movement of the head and avoid any binding action at the points of connection to the attaching element.

As shown in Figure 4 the attaching member 18 may be connected, in the same manner as described in connection with Figure 1, to a hook 20 which may be utilized to connect the device to other tensioning means, such as a set of pulley weights or the like.

In practice, when it is desired to exercise the muscles of the neck by swinging the -head forwardly and backwardly the loops 19 are engaged over the pair of studs 111 fixed to the headgear adjacent the ends of the strap 7. rfhe user, by then directly facing the point of attachment of the headkio gear With the tensioning device `Will be enabled to swing the head in the direction indicated. Then by connecting the attaching element 18 to the other pair oi studs 14 at the ends of the strap 6, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3, and turning the body at right angles to the lirst-named position the head may be swung sidewise over the shoulders.

What is claimed is: l. An eXercisine a aratus including a headgear, a plurality of attaching members carried by said headgear and arranged in pairs, the members of each pair being located at oppositely disposed points on said headgear, and an attaching element capable of being connected to a tensioning device and having means for connection to the atpair to permit of a free oscillatory movement of said studs in said loops.

3. An exercising apparatus including a headgear having an annular band, a pair oi"l head straps arranged in transverse planes and each having their ends secured to said band at oppositely disposed points, a chin strap secured to said band,I a pair ot plates connected to said band and to the ends ot each of said head straps, each plate having a stud, and a flexible attaching element having its intermediate portion capable of attachment to a tensioning device and its endsv formed With loops loosely eiigagcahle over pairs ot' said studs.

4. An exercising device comprising a headgear including an annular band capable of encircling the head and having depending therefrom chin straps arranged at such an angle to the band that a downward pull upon the straps, when placing the headgear in position upon thc head, will cause said band to assume a position upon the head at an angle to the horizontal with the rear portion of the band engaging the proniontory of the occipital bone, a plurality of attach ing members carried by said headgear and arranged in pairs with the members oii each pair located at oppositely disposed points, and an attaching element capable ot' being connected to a tensioning device and to thc attaching members of each of said pairs.

ALFRED E. BURNETT. 

